Israel makes it clear: Arafat is out and he’s staying out, and any attempt to bring him back in will bring down disaster on the Palestinian Authority. Israel Warns It Will Not Deal With Arafat.

Several Palestinian legislators, including Arafat allies, are lobbying to oust Abbas later this week after he presents the achievements of his first 100 days in office to parliament. It remains unclear whether the session will be followed by a vote of confidence.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom suggested Sunday that an already troubled U.S.-backed peace plan, the so-called "road map," would be derailed if Abbas is ousted.

"Israel will not negotiate with a new government formed under the instructions and the influence of Arafat," Shalom said after a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Tel Aviv.